Pokémon Dwebbles and Plot Bunearies
by KitsuneShin0bi
Summary: A series of one-shots that I wanted to write down because they amused me. Mostly drabbles.
1. The Wanderer

These are going to be small snippets because I have learned that I can't write any sort of large narrative before getting bored or writing myself into a corner or start unintentionally making characters wish fulfillment. This will be updated approximately the next time I get an idea I want to write down. If you want to use bits of these jokes or thoughts for your own work feel free to grab 'em.

Also, keep in mind that I don't really ship, I just tease.

Now then let's move on to the fun bit.

* * *

Ash was starting to feel uncomfortable.

The reason for this discomfort was the stare that his traveling partner was giving him. It wasn't the stare that said, "You're being a total dork. Why do I put up with you?" or "That was actually pretty amazing but I'll never say it flat out," or those really odd ones when she seemed to blush a little. No this was a stare which he had never received before. Combined with the completely blank expression on her face, Ash had no idea how to handle it.

"Um, Iris-" he began, before immediately being cut off.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN 'ME AND PIKACHU CAN STOP HOLDING BACK ONCE WE GET HOME'?!"

He and Pikachu uncovered their ears after Iris' outburst, waiting for her to calm down a little. "We~ll, I don't really partake in leagues to win necessarily. That's why I asked Pikachu to limit himself to the rest of my team's level. Also why I don't use some of my older Pokémon," explained Ash fearfully as he put his hands up in a calming gesture. "If I win a league, then I'm kinda obligated to challenge the Elite Four and then the Champion if I make it past them. Do you know how awful it would be if I became the Champion myself?"

Huh. There was that blank stare again.

"I would be tied down with all sorts of responsibilities and couldn't travel nearly as much as I want. The league is a good way to pay for expenses so . . ." continued Ash before trailing off.

Iris just sighed and shook her head. "You're such a kid Ash."

Ash bristled a bit while getting into the playful arguments he was so used to. "Hey! It's a perfectly legituh- legitm-good reason! I would never have met you or Cilan or any of my new Pokémon if it weren't for that!"

"Pika!" chimed in his best buddy.

"Yeah, you see? Pikachu agrees with me."


	2. Acrofatics

Ash looked over the field and took note of the two Pokémon battling inside. Snorlax had landed a massive blow on his opponent's Feralgitar, forcing its chest to heave with deep breaths as it tried to steady itself. He narrowed his eyes as he thought about his next move.

He still had Charizard left on his team, though he was on his last legs as well, and his opponent still had that Venusaur. If his opponent was smart then he would switch the two out for the type advantage later on. Right, he knew how to handle this.

"Feralgitar! Retu-"

"Pursuit now!"

Moving surprisingly quickly for a 'mon of his size, Snorlax ran and dove towards the water-type before the command could be finished, knocking the Johto starter out.

"I knew teaching him that would pay off," said Ash triumphantly as the opposing trainer stared dumbly at the field.


	3. Poker Face

Professor Oak's ranch was meant to be a habitat for all Pokémon. This meant that along with trees to perch in, ponds to swim in, and soft grass to lie in, there were several sheltered areas to sleep in for those that may have gotten used to living with their trainers or who simply wanted a warm place to nap without the threat of rain. Some of them had tables and chairs for visitors who wanted to sit and play with the more docile Pokémon there as well as a variety of human games if a researcher had to kill time. Often these rooms would get rather full in the night, but not for the reason they were originally intended.

Pikachu perched atop one of the chairs around the table, eyeing the Pokémon around him warily. He was a great battler and had learned to read the subtle shifts and changes in body language other Pokémon made while competing. However, he was having a devilishly hard time with the group in front of him.

"Fold," he sighed before laying his cards on the table.

Around him the other players started revealing their hands as well. To his left was a Bronzong that had been using its psychic powers to levitate the cards in front of him. To his right was a Ditto that had somehow managed to climb up the seat despite being made of pink goo. He had probably Transformed into another 'mon to do that. Across from him was perhaps the best of them all; a Zoroark who had used an illusion to completely wipe any features off his face along with adding a green casino visor.

"You know," mused the small electric type as the Zoroark started collecting his winnings, "I'm not sure if this is better or worse than playing against an empath."


	4. Smell ya Later

Ash had always exhibited several strange traits that were fit more for a Pokémon than a human. He was unnaturally strong even for people twice his age, barely noticing the strain of carrying a Hippopotas on his head (his neck was a little sore afterwards but not really) or a baby Larvitar in his arms. He tanked several Pokémon attacks before, including his best buddies' Volt Tackle and got right back up moments later. Perhaps the most important and least noticeable was that his senses were unusually sharp. This normally translated into a quicker reaction time or being able to understand his Pokémon a lot easier than most.

While certainly not on the level of a Pokémon, his nose was able to pick up smells that many would have missed or failed to differentiate. Usually this became apparent when he was hungry and looking for food, at which point he would then follow it to the source much to the frustration of his travelling companions who had to track him down. However, this also meant that if he was close enough to something he could memorize its scent for future reference. Along with his tendency to speak without thinking, this led to some pretty . . . _unusual_ conversations.

"I love the sweet smell of victory," said Serena as she looked down at the Princess Key she had just won. The performance had gone off without a hitch, ensuring an easy win.

"Actually, Victory smells like hickory more than anything."

Serena turned around to look at Ash who had been walking behind her. Clemont and Bonnie also stopped to look at their travelling companion.

"Oh?" asked Clemont, adjusting his glasses with a hint of incredulity in his voice. "How would you know?"

"Well when I was in Unova, I met Victini. You know, the legendary Pokémon of victory? Anyway, I kinda helped her out 'cause there was this weird thing with Zekrom and Reshiram going on and she was trapped and I got close enough that I could recognize what she smelled like."

Now Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie were staring at him like Iris did that one time. Meanwhile, Pikachu had put a paw over his face and seemed to be muttering. Weird.

"To be fair, she smells better than some legendaries," Ash continued. "I mean, Fear smells like a musty, old coat. But don't tell Darkrai I said that!"


	5. Grimderp's Fairy Tales

Author's Note:

This was based around a discussion I had on a thread over grimderp fics. Yes the spelling and grammar errors are intentional and let me tell you, they are super hard to write. I simply could not bring myself to type anymore which is why I ended it so quickly.

* * *

Ash groaned as he slowly gained consciousness. Blinking his eyes wearily, he looked at an area he had never seen before. He appeared to be in some sort of abandoned factory, with small fires illuminating the rusting pipes and casting shadows that danced over the walls. He rubbed his face in confusion but stopped when he felt cold metal press against it.

Was that a gun he was holding?

Were those bloodstains on his hands?

"Ahh! what the #*&!" yelled Ash as he strated to flail aboutand dropped the gun hew was holding.

He stopped moving.

Did he just swear? He certainly didn't mean to; goodness knows what his mother would do if she were to find out. His movements were incredibly jerky as well, almost like what you would see in a really bad horror movie.

"Something is defiantly wrong here, muttered Ash as he wlaked down the only path open to him. He tired to think about what had happened to hm.

Right before he had woken up here, he remembered dealing with some sort of conflict involving the Lunar Duo, probably just another one of their spats. It was a bit fuzzy but he thought he had been clipped by a misfired Dark Void before he had stumbled and grabbed onto Cresselia. That's when he realized what was going on.

"Oh #$ , this is some kind of lusid nightmare."

Coming to the end of the passage opened up to alarge coliseum like structure. Above him was a man with a large black trenchcoat and a goatee with snakelike eyes. He was holding a serrted knife up against a ridiculous grl that seemed to glow with a pale ethreal glow.

"Now i've killed your family Ash and Im about kill your girlfriend too!" screamed Nightshroud.

Ash was about to comment on the fact that he didn't even know who those people were when his vision suddenly went dark. Cracking his eyes open, he looked around to see Pikachu standing next to him worriedly. After pinching himself to make sure he was actually awake, he turned to his best buddy.

"You would not believe the dream I just had," said Ash, relieved that the world around him finally decided to follow proper grammar.


	6. If Adventure Had A Name

I was in an Indiana Jones mood when I wrote this, so here comes Professor Ash. Also, since this is in the future, there are going to be some OoC moments because I made the blasphemous decision to have characters mature.

* * *

"Amazing," breathed out a young intern, looking at the opening looming before her. "How did you know there was something here?"

The group she had been attached to had been working at the dig site all day with no luck until her supervisor suddenly walked out on them. When he came back, he had moved to an entirely new spot and almost immediately found an entrance to some old ruins.

"I asked one of the locals," replied Ash smoothly as he started to prepare himself for the trek inside.

And he had. It just so happened that there was a legendary associated with the location they were documenting, a shrine to Raikou, so questioning it about a way inside had been pretty easy. It paid to have connections to people who were old enough to be eyewitnesses. The intern didn't need to know that part though.

-Scene break-

Inside one of the university's many offices sat a small, yellow figure wearing a lab coat and a wig. The sounds of scribbling could be heard as the Pikachu scrawled red marks upon yet another poorly made essay.

"You know," mused the diminutive doctor, "I'm starting to think most of the new, female students joined just to stare at my trainer when he was in."


	7. If Adventure Had A Name 2

Professor Ash makes a reappearance. It was suggested to write Misty, Serena, Iris, and/or any other shippable character into the fic, trying to beat back the students that were hot for teacher. Turned out really well, I think.

* * *

"Thanks for stopping by Misty, it's always nice to see you," greeted Ash as his longtime friend slipped into one of the seats in his office. His head was down as he read a new memorandum for the university staff. The impossible had happened and his department had gotten increased funding. "Really convenient that you had an errand to do here. You seem to have had a lot of those recently."

The redhead turned her head back to Ash after she had finished glaring at the students ogling him outside the doorway. Thankfully he hadn't noticed. "Oh you know how life can be. Filled with strange coincidences, especially if you're involved," said Misty. Then something caught her eye. Fresh flowers on his desk, not native to Kanto if she was correct. "And what are these?"

"Oh. Those," Ash replied, setting down his paper. "Serena sent them to me. You know Serena right? The girl I traveled with in Kalos? Really popular performer there now, on all the major networks."

They continued to exchange small talk a little while longer before Misty finally had to leave. Ash resumed reading before seeing something that made him smile. It had been Iris, now the current Champion of Unova, which had made the donation to the university.

"Well it seems she's gained a healthy interest in archaeology. I should call and congratulate her for that."


	8. Apology Acce- Hey Wait!

Side snip to If Adventure Had A Name. Why is Pikachu's dialogue visible? Professor Ash learned basic aura training which pushed him over the edge in understanding Pokémon. Nothing beyond that and Aura Sight though.

* * *

Iris stared.

She blinked and stared again.

In her hands was a newspaper with the front page displaying her old traveling partner proudly displaying his findings; proof of a legendary thought to be little more than a myth. He had taken several photographs while going on one of his expeditions, most of them close-ups and incredibly detailed.

"Oh no."

She had started calling Ash a kid when he first told of his adventures. Of course she didn't believe him. There was no way someone that immature could have possibly seen those Pokémon, thought to be gods. And while her opinion had changed over the time spent travelling, she still referred to him as a kid. She felt kind of bad. Guilty even.

 _Ring, ring! Ring, ring!_

Sighing, Ash picked up the phone on his desk. He hoped it wasn't another member of the press; they had called so often in the past few days that he considered hiring someone to screen his calls. "Hello, this is Professor Ketchum speaking."

"Ash? It's me, Iris"

Ash froze before breaking out into a grin. It was good to hear a friend you hadn't contacted in a long time. "Well, it's good to hear from you! I heard you beat Alder pretty handily! Nice job on making Champion by the way."

"Thanks Ash, but I-I just wanted to say something," spoke the Dragon tamer hesitantly.

Ash froze again but this time a frown formed over his face. Iris was nervous; that didn't happen often. But before he could ask what was wrong, she continued.

"I want to apologize," she said, managing to smooth her voice out a bit. "I want to apologize for treating you like an irresponsible toddler and not believing you about those legendaries."

Iris wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't what came next.

"Ye~es! Woot woot!" sung out the professor on the other end of the line. Sounds of movement could be heard as he span around in his office chair. "Hah! Thanks Iris! I made a bet with Pikachu so now he has to grade my students' papers!"

Looking down at her phone with a surprised face that quickly morphed into a smile, and then a playful scowl, she spoke into her cellphone one last time. "Never mind. You're such a kid Ash." A quick push of a button and the call ended.

"Hello? Hello? Iris?" Ash glanced towards his colleague at the smaller desk besides his. "Does it count if she took it back?" he asked.

" _Nope_ ," replied Pikachu as he started to make room for the ketchup packets he just earned. " _I still won_."


	9. Gallows Humor

Another possible future AU that amused me.

* * *

Ash looked at his apprentice fondly, a young riolu he had been assigned to train in the ways of aura. She had progressed quickly, eager to learn and filled with the stamina needed to complete his more unconventional regimens. Awash with nostalgia, the young guardian recalled his own training with Riley.

It had been after the Kalos league when he ran into him again. Now that he didn't have to worry about cataclysmic events or a new tournament to conquer, he could finally accept the man's offer. He had learned so much from Riley, perhaps the most important was the ability to understand Pokémon, a gift he still cherished deeply.

Returning to the present, Ash bent over and began his lesson. "Today we will be working on healing," he began. "Tell me what you know already."

" _Healing with aura is one of the more difficult techniques, usually requiring intermediate skill or an emotional experience to produce the amount necessary_."

"Right, it takes a lot of energy to heal someone so it's usually a last resort compared to more efficient ways like Heal Pulse. Remember if you use too much, you run the risk of exhausting yourself to death," confirmed Ash as he began setting up the tools necessary to start. He then recalled something his old master once said to him. "The trick is to cut the juice as soon as you see a light and hear dead relatives calling."


	10. Continuing A Legacy

When I posted this on Space Battles, somebody asked what happened to the Team Rocket Trio. To clarify, they eventually quit after Team Rocket started to fall apart and are now the proud owners of a very successful family restaurant; their Double Trouble Noodle dish is the most popular item. Twerps love 'em.

* * *

Ash sighed as he returned his Pokemon. He had been passing through Viridian when three low level grunts tried to mug him. After the events with Meloetta in Unova, Giovanni had been forced to flee from his job as gym leader. Now, Team Rocket was slowly crumbling with the boss's disappearance and lack of funds. Remnants were often left scattered about and he had been mopping them up for quite some time now. However, unlike the trio he used to encounter as a child, these people weren't a challenge at all. Just a few attacks and he could wipe out their teams in an instant.

"Pikapi? Chu-ka Pika Pika."

Ash looked at Pikachu who had been riding on his shoulder the entire time. Apparently he couldn't even be bothered to battle, and that said a lot about their situation. "I know, I know. No challenges, no hijinks, no costumes, no mechs. These guys are no fun," replied the trainer. "I would do anything to see those three again, you know? They weren't really bad people-" A few sparks from his companion gave him sufficient warning. "-if they weren't trying to kidnap you all the time."

Pikachu accepted that answer before tilting his head in a curious manner. Then a broad smile broke out on his face as he started whispering something into his partner's ear. That's when Ash broke out into a grin as well.

"You know buddy, you might just have an idea there!"

-Scene Break-

Jim looked down at the gang's haul with a wicked smile on his face. He had just finished extorting several small businesses by offering them "protection". If they paid the cash, they wouldn't have to deal with his little group. Just as he was about to start divvying up the money, a Flash attack was used in front of the crook, temporarily blinding him. Was that music he heard as well?

"Prepare for trouble, go and redouble!""

"To protect the world from devastation, and to vent my growing frustration!"

"To denounce the evils of lies and greed, because those families had mouths to feed!"

"Ash Ketchum!"

"Goofing off to show my might, surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Pika!"

Jim stared. In front of him was the dreaded trainer that helped defeat his former employer. And his entire team were doing poses that would make the Power Rangers weep with envy.

"What the fu-"

The Thunder Wave that hit the mook instantly shut him up and thankfully prevented this fic from getting a higher rating.

"You were right Pikachu! If those three aren't around anymore, we're going to have to carry on their traditions ourselves!"


	11. Decisions, Decisions

Ash looked at the row of shelves near the top of his closet, carefully weighing his options. In front of him sat his collection of hats he had amassed over the years ranging from his first league hat worn romping across Kanto, to a fez, a fedora, and even a turban. This was always the trickiest part of the morning, trying to decide.

" _Hey Ash! Hurry up! We gotta leave in fifteen minutes!_ " yelled Pikachu from the kitchen. " _It's the first day of the semester. We wouldn't want you to be late for-_ "

Whatever his colleague was about to say was interrupted by a knocking sound at the front door. Ash stood up from where he was sitting and turned the knob to find… nobody.

" _Ash!_ "

Looking down towards the voice, he barely caught sight of Shaymin before the small, white, and green legendary scampered up his body to perch on his head.

" _Can I come with you for a little while? It's been so boring at the garden lately. Really? 'Kay thanks._ "

"Well," Ash mused as he began gathering his notes before heading out to the campus, "that's one problem solved."

 **-Later that day-**

"Before we go over the syllabus I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Ash Ketchum, this is my associate, Doctor Pikachu and this," Gesturing upwards to his head Ash continued, "is Shaymin. Now first things first we'll be covering-"

Ash paused as he saw a hand raised in the back. "Yes?"

"Why is there a legendary on your head?"

"Because I needed a hat," he stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.


	12. The Next Generation

Author's Note: Their have been some jokes that Bonnie will be a mini-Ash except with a Legendary following her around on her journey. I wanted to write her as taking on Ash's mentor role in XY.

* * *

Bonnie walked into the center of the forest clearing before turning to face her companion. "Now I know you need some practice dealing with Ground-types so I called a friend to help with that. He should be here soon."

The young boy she was travelling with looked around slowly.

"So is he a Ground type specialist or something?"

Bonnie noticed a small rustle in the grass and grinned.

"Something like that," she said and then gave a loud whistle.

 _FWEE~ET!_

The boy watched in awe as a small blob creature jumped up and then began to grow into a large black and green snake with compound eyes. He recognized that Pokemon! Every Kalos native did.

The boy began to speak. "Tha- that's-"

"Squishy!" shouted his mentor jubilantly as she hugged the Legendary's neck.

 _"Bonnie, while I like the nickname you gave me 10 years ago,"_ the Dragon telepathed with a mental sigh, _"I wish you would use Zygarde in front of other people. It's embarrassing."_


	13. Best Enemies

N was feeling confused. He was feeling that a lot lately.

The source of his confusion was, as always, the trainer and Pikachu sitting next to him, calmly eating as if they didn't fight off a bunch of criminals trying to kidnap the electric starter. For people who cared about each other as much as he did Zorua, this lack of concern was... well, _concerning_.

"So I was thinking Oshawott could use some practice dodging. Maybe you could fire some thundershocks at him to-"

"How are you both so relaxed?" N cut off Ash and Pikachu's training discussion. Seeing their bank stares he continued. "I mean, three criminals from Team Rocket just tried to kidnap Pikachu!"

The duo looked at each other as if debating who should speak (another odd staple of their relationship N mused, their ability to communicate without words) before Ash nodded.

 _"Well at this point we're kind of used to it,"_ Pikachu said with a little sigh. _"They've been coming after us ever since Viridian City when we were first starting out on our journey. No matter what we do, the just keep coming back."_

N thought about that for a moment before responding. "Shouldn't you... hate them? Or at least hold a grudge?"

Now it was Ash's turn to speak. "At first we did, but over time you realize they aren't really evil people. When something important is on the line, they will do the right thing. Too be honest, its hard to consider them enemies at this point. More like really obnoxious friends."

While Ash was explaining this to N, Pikachu rummaged around his trainer's backpack before pulling out a card.

 _"This,"_ the little starter began while handing the card to N, _"was given to Ash when he got the flu and I couldn't fight."_

Zorua, who had been sitting silently on N's shoulder, fell off laughing after reading it.

 **Dear Twerp,**

 **We send our best wishes and hope you feel better soon.**  
 **Make sure to get plenty of rest and drink plenty of juice.**  
 **You and Pikachu need to be at full power when we 'nab him.**

 **Your best enemies,**  
 **Team Rocket**

"The Christmas cards are great too," said Ash with a fond smile.


	14. Paternal Instinct

_"Sometimes,"_ Pikachu thought sadly to himself, _"I wish Ash was a little less like a Pokemon."_

Now don't misunderstand, his best friend's ability to understand them and their worldview to the point of even mimicking it to some extent was amazing. That was rare in a human, and something incredibly cherished by all members who would come into the team. Even more-so with those like him or Greninja, who shared an especially deep bond. But it did have some unfortunate side-effects. Their trainer would often react to situations like a Pokemon would but Ash just didn't have the same strength, the same toughness, that a Pokemon had.

And that made him and the rest of the team worry.

A perfect example was presented to them just last week. Noibat had been kidnapped and not by Team Rocket (if they did, he half-expected those three would just give him back by the end of the day proclaiming they had won). No, this time it was by a real, threatening, competent thief. Ash's reaction to that was goddamn terrifying to both his human and Pokemon companions. The almost feral look in his eyes when he heard the news reminded the mouse of the Zoroark they met in Crown City.

However unlike Zoroark, Ash didn't have the ability to use attacks or summon illusions or fight Legendaries to a standstill. All he could do was hurt himself in his rage.

In the end, they managed to recover the youngest member of their team. Luckily the poor little Dragon-type only saw his adoptive father at his best during the confrontation; a clear head and filled with determination. The baby didn't see his worst: angry, almost unintelligible shouting, being restrained by Greninja and Hawlucha after Clemont proved unfit to handle him, and the manic fury the kidnapping had caused.

Serena's call for him and Ash broke his musings. As he ran over to the picnic table to grab some dinner, he resolved to grow stronger so that he would never have to see his friend in that state again.


	15. Choice and the Chosen One

AN: This was created as my personal headcanon for what being the Chosen One means. I hate the idea of fate controlling ones life or the idea that the only one who can make a difference is someone chosen by destiny.

* * *

The conflict in Dahara City was over. Hoopa had dispelled its shadow and the world had been saved once again. There were still a few Legendaries remaining and now was his chance. The chance to finally answer the question that had been on his mind since Shamouti.

"Dialga wait! I... I need to talk to you."

Ash Ketchum, the 16 year old future Pokemon Master, approached the Lord of Time hesitantly. While he met Legendary Pokemon often there was always a bit of apprehension when talking to the older, more powerful ones. Most likely a side effect of seeing their insane power thrown around, the trainer mused to himself.

 _Hmm? What is it?_

Dialga turned to look at the boy. Ash began to fidget, uncomfortable under its gaze. He was just a human and it... it was practically a God.

"I wanted to ask about the whole Chosen One thing. What does it mean for me? Am I bound to some kind of destiny that I can't escape from? Do I-" Ash gulped before continuing, "-do I even have a choice?"

A small wave of confusion washed over the Pallet Town native as the Alpha Pokemon parsed his question. A dawning of understanding and then concern promptly followed.

 _Of course, you perceive time as linear,_ it- mumbled? It seemed like mumbling- to itself. Closing its eyes to collect its thoughts, Dialga began its explanation.

 _You know of course, how my assistant Celebi can travel through time correct?_

Ash nodded.

 _One might say that since there is a definite future, all of our actions are predetermined; we would not be free to choose. The truth is a lot more complicated. If Celebi were to travel to the future and see something she didn't like, she could go back into the past and change it. However, by doing this she would remove the problem and thus remove the her reason for going to the past causing a paradox._

 _So what happens?_

 _The event she tries to prevent is caused by her actions in her attempts to change it. Or perhaps she knows this and decides not to try and it is her_ inaction _that leads to the future problem. In essence, it means something in the future has affected the past. Time is not linear; it is more accurate to say every moment is occurring simultaneously and we are just viewing it in a linear fashion. Is that clear to you?_

The boy fought the growing headache as he muddled though it.

"I think I get enough to see what you're going for," Ash eventually replied.

A quick telepathic scan by the Temporal Pokemon confirmed his statement. Dialga felt it was imperative that he understood.

 _The title of Chosen One was given to you because someone with knowledge of the future saw what you did in your time, in your window and wanted to recognize you for it. It is no different than the League recognizing a trainer's talent and giving them the title of Champion, just a different time-frame. Admittedly the accolade is a bit of a misnomer; they probably made the mistake of assuming it was some divine will rather than mere circumstance and choice._

Ash nodded as realization came to him.

"So I'm not being controlled by some kind of destiny?" He asked hopefully.

 _Even if you didn't know you were a Chosen One you would still do what you did, correct?_

"Of course!" Ash affirmed, a look of resolve spreading across his face, "It was the right thing to do!"

 _Then no. You are no more bound by fate than anyone else._ _Although you do have a luck that boggles the mind..._

Ash left the city feeling lighter than he had been for years.


	16. Hello Darkness My Old Friend

Ash blearily opened his eyes to see the eerie, drab landscape he'd become so familiar with over the course of his adventures. Getting to his knees, he turned around to look at the Pokemon that was always there whenever he came.

"Hello again Yveltal," he said, ignoring the flashes of his life playing out behind him. He'd already seen most of it several times now.

The Legendary nodded its head in greeting.

"I assume it's gonna take a little while before I go back? Time always works so weird here."

Another nod.

"Good." The trainer took his hat off and scratched his hair. "Look there's been something I've been meaning to talk to you about. I don't know how to say this, but-"

He hesitated. Yveltal leaned forward with curiosity.

"-but I feel we shouldn't be seeing each other so often."

The Flying-type responded with a startled squawk and a hurt look.

"It's not you, it's me," he explained hastily. "Everybody gets so worried and it's usually at a really bad time. I just- I just don't think I can be at my best for you meeting like this and you honestly deserve better."

Ash stared into pleading eyes and sighed.

"C'mon. It's not like we won't be see each other again, right?" He gave a wan smile as a bright light began forming around him. "After all, I don't think I really get a choice."

He gave a quick hug to the Legendary before finally vanishing completely.


	17. I Hate it When You Call Me That

Based off the Cú Chulainn of Fate/Stay Night and Carnival Phantasm

* * *

Ash ran past the ancient soldiers, desperately trying to return the Jewel of Life to its rightful owner. Admittedly, he should have been used to this kind of thing by now but still, having your body fade in and out of existence was absolutely terrifying.

"Getting real tired of working as your guys' guard dog," he grumbled as continued to where Arceus was dying.

xX0Xx

When the entire debacle ended there were many questions as to the nature of the mysterious group that had saved the Creator. Where had they come from? Where had they gone? Who were they?

The last was answered by one of the guards who had overheard the odd, young man with the small, electric rodent. Of course it wasn't much to go on, but speculation over the small detail abounded and it soon became an integral part of the story passed down over the years, growing more and more exaggerated.

xX0Xx

 _Unova - Modern era_

"- and I know it's a longshot, but could you imagine what it would be like to become the Hero of Truth or Ideals like that guy N was talking about? Meeting Reshiram and Zekrom would be absolutely amazing!" gushed Iris, as the travelling party continued their meal.

"What about the other Dragon Legendaries?" Asked Ash in between mouthfuls. "Like the Creation Trio?"

"That would be pretty cool!" exclaimed Iris before deflating rapidly. "But they don't really bond with anyone. Heck, nobody could confirm their existence 'till Alamos Town. You'd have to be Madra Dia just to interact with them."

The Kanto native blinked.

"The Madra what?"

"The Madra Dia," chimed in Cilan. Setting his fork down, the connoisseur began to explain. "It's one of Sinnoh's oldest and most popular legends. Roughly translated it means 'God's Hound'. According to the story, a boy with an Electric-type Pokemon served Arceus as its guardian, saving its life thousand of years ago in the spot where Michina Town now exists."

Iris shrugged. "Course, that's the only thing consistent about it. Everyone has their own story about how the boy got the title. Some say he slew the previous guardian, a canine Legendary, and was forced to take the role as penance. Others say he was the son of one of the Legendary Beasts kind of like how Hercules is the son of Thundurus. Nobody knows where the name came from or if he's even real."

Cilan rubbed his chin in thought. "I'm surprised you hadn't heard about it, even after travelling through Sinnoh. It's up there with King Arthur in terms of notoriety."

Ash, in a rare bout of wisdom, decided to give a half-truth.

"I don't really focus too much on those kind of things," he admitted. "Too busy thinking about the league, you know?"

The Dragon Tamer in training rolled her eyes. "It's near impossible to miss hearing that tale and yet somehow you did. You're such a kid Ash."

Strangely, the trainer did not rise to the insult. Quietly, he rose from the table and began to wash his plate, discreetly glaring at his Pikachu who was barely managing to stifle its giggles.


End file.
